Blue Earth Area remains undefeated in the South Central Conference (SCC), but their third victory didn’t come easy.

The Bucs trailed 35-26 going into the final two matches.

Senior Josh Johnson, rated No. 3 at 220 pounds, pinned Nick Millman in 3:10 to cut the Saints lead to 35-32.

Heavyweight Martin Granados found himself in familiar territory with the outcome of the meet in his hands.

The freshman built a 10-2 lead before pinning senior Nick Kempenich in 3:33.

St. Peter grabbed a 6-0 lead with a pin at 106 pounds.

However, 113-pounder Alec Huber picked up a 7-4 win followed by two major decisions from Isaac Vasquez (120) and Mike Ankeny (126) to give the Bucs an 11-6 lead.

The Saints tied the score with a tech fall at 132 and held a 17-11 advantage following a pin at 138.

Freshman Jacob Johnson started BEA’s comeback with a close 7-6 win at 145 pounds.

Pins from 152-pounder David Franta and Carter Hanson at 160 put the Bucs ahead 26-23.

But, a forfeit at 182 and a pin at 195 put St. Peter ahead 35-26 with two matches left.

The win sets up a showdown between BEA and St. James, also undefeated in the SCC. The Register will have results of the meet in the next edition.

BEA?38, St. Peter 35

106: Shaun Timmerman (SP) pinned Ryan Gronewald, 4:55.

113: Alec Huber (BEA) dec. Chris Pettis, 7-4.

120: Isaac Vasquez (BEA) maj. dec. Jared Schave, 17-9.

126: Mike Ankeny (BEA) maj. dec. Cody Kurth, 12-4.

132: Hunter Retzlaff (SP) tech. fall Kolt Gorg, 17-2; Retzlaff is ranked No. 6 in Class AA at 126 pounds.

145: Jacob Johnson (BEA) dec. Steven Pettis, 7-6.

152: David Franta (BEA)?pinned Matt Sack, 2:46.

160: Carter Hanson (BEA) pinned Arturo Hidalgo, 2:27; Hanson is ranked No. 3 in Class A at 160 pounds.

170: Kyle Bosacker (SP) pinned Chris Ramos, 2:51.

182: Ashton Bartlett (SP) wins by forfeit.

195: Dylan Connor (SP) pinned Kysten Zierke, 4:12.

220: Josh Johnson (BEA) pinned Nick Millman, 3:10; Johnson is rated No. 3 in Class A.

285: Martin Granados (BEA) pinned Nick Kempenich, 3:33.

Bucs win three at Luverne

Blue Earth Area went 3-1 at the Luverne wrestling duals held Jan. 21.

However, the Bucs needed come-from-behind wins in two of their victories. Their lone loss was to Class A No. 4-ranked Wabasso/Red Rock Central.

In the first round against Worthington, BEA trailed 30-5 after the first seven matches, with the only win coming on 113-pounder Alec Huber’s tech fall.

David Franta started the comeback with a 6-3 decision at 152, followed by a forfeit at 160.

Carter Hanson, rated No. 3 in Class A at 160 pounds, hung on for a 12-10 win at 170 pounds to cut the Trojans lead to 30-17.

Worthington answered with a 3-1 win at 182 to make the score 33-17.

But, the door wasn’t closed on the Bucs.

Kysten Zierke pinned his opponent in 3:32 at 195 pounds, while No. 3-rated 220-pounder Josh Johnson registered a fall in 3:19. Suddenly, BEA?trailed 33-29 with one match remaining.

Martin Granados sealed the victory with a fall in 2:52 to make the final score, 35-33.

BEA won nine of 14 matches to defeat the hometown Luverne Cardinals, 52-25.

In Round 3, Pipestone built a 22-11 lead, but BEA got a pin from David Franta at 152 and a major decision from Hanson at 160 to pull within one.

Pipestone won the next two matches by a forfeit and tech fall and led 33-21.

That set the stage for the upper weights.

Again, Zierke kept BEA’s hopes alive with a pin in 3:35 at 195 pounds and Johnson (220) won by way of a forfeit to tie the score at 33-33.

Granados then put his opponent’s shoulders to the mat in 1:05 to give the Bucs a 39-33 victory.

In the final matchup of the day, Wabasso/Red Rock Central proved too much for BEA.

The Bucs won only two matches, Ryan Gronewald’s 5-3 decision at 106 pounds and Johnson’s pin in 1:29 at 220.

Josh Johnson ended the day with a 4-0 mark, two of his wins by a fall.

Zierke (195) was 3-1 with two pins, while Huber was 3-1 with two tech falls and a major decision.

Also posting 3-1 records were Hanson with a major decision and Franta with a fall.

Granados was 2-1 with two pins.

The Bucs’ season record improves to 18-7.

BEA 35, Worthington 33

(Round 1)

106: Anthony Luft (W) pinned Ryan Gronewald, 1:50; Luft is ranked No. 3 in Class AA.

113: Alec Huber (BEA) tech fall Cody Michelson, 19-4.

120: Vince Riley (W) pinned Chris Leland, 1:12.

126: Christian Artiga (W) dec. Mike Ankeny, 2-0.

132: Jared Kinley (W) pinned Kolt Gorg, 1:13; Kinley is ranked No. 7 at 126 pounds in Class AA.

138: Jacob Clarke (W) maj. dec. Luke Schavey, 14-5.

145: Matt Poppema (W) tech fall Jacob Johnson, 5:50.

152: David Franta (BEA) dec. Zach Kempema, 6-3.

160: Roger Ziegler (BEA) wins by forfeit.

170: Carter Hanson (BEA) dec. Blake Schroeder, 12-10.

182: Carson Hagen (W) dec. Chris Ramos, 3-1.

195: Kysten Zierke (BEA) pinned Brandon Riermersma, 3:22.

220: Josh Johnson (BEA) pinned Emmanuel Martinez, 3:19..

285: Martin Granados (BEA) pinned Peter Abraham, 2:52.

BEA 52, Luverne 25

(Round 2)

106: Gronewald (BEA) pinned Will Natte, 5:50.

113: Huber (BEA) maj. dec. Solomon Nielsen, 15-2.

120: Cyris Halverson (L) pinned Leland, 1:17.

126: Ankeny (BEA) pinned Cody Hess, 1:36.

132: Eli Dooyema (L) maj. dec. Schavey, 10-2.

138: Gorg (BEA) pinned Manny Olson, 2:37.

145: Spencer Oeltjenburns (L) pinned Johnson, 5:42.

152: Franta (BEA) wins by forfeit.

160: Hanson (BEA) wins by forfeit.

170: Wyatt Aubert (L) dec. Ramos, 4-0.

182: Christian Haugh (BEA) wins by forfeit.

195: Zierke (BEA) wins by forfeit.

220: DJ Reker (L) pinned Micah Twedt, 2:32.

285: Johnson (BEA) wins by forfeit.

BEA 39, Pipestone 33

(Round 3)

106: Jordan Wipl (P) pinned Gronewald, 1:49.

113: Huber (BEA) tech fall Jacoby Hunt, 16-1.

120: Elijiah Eueson (P) pinned Tanner Wolf, :44.

126: Ankeny (BEA) dec. Cole Nordmeyer, 4-1.

132: Schavey (BEA) dec. Walker Kor, 7-5.

138: Alex Ossefoot (P) maj. dec. Gorg, 10-1.

145: Brady Boss (P) pinned Johnson, 2:57.

152: Franta (BEA)?pinned Michael Ryan, 1:20.

160: Hanson (BEA) maj. dec. Will Smith 18-4.

170: Nate Dubbeide (P)?wins by forfeit.

182: Matt Heraldson (P) tech fall Ramos, 15-0.

195: Zierke (BEA) pinned Jared Hillard, 3:35. 195: Zierke (BEA) pinned Jared Hillard, 3:35.

220: Johnson (BEA) wins by forfeit.

285: Granados (BEA) pinned Garrit Thompson, 1:05.

Wabasso/R. Rock Cent 62, BEA 9

(Round 4)

106: Gronewald (BEA) dec. Cole Werner, 5-3.

113: Spencer Jennings (W/RRC) pinned Huber, 3:44; Jenninges is ranked No. 4 at 106 pounds in Class A.

120: Caleb Kemp (W/RRC) pinned Leland, 1:18.

126: Brandon Golrisch (W/RRC) maj. dec. Ankeny, 12-2.

132: Derek Christians (W/RRC) dec. Schavey, 6-0.

138: Tanner Rohlik (W/RRC) pinned Gorg, :43.

145: Mitchell Schroepfer (W/RRC) pinned Johnson, :49.

152: Ben Malter (W/RRC)?dec. Franta, 7-6.

160: Mitchell Rohlik (W/RRC) wins by forfeit; Rohlik is ranked No. 6 at 145 pounds in Class A.

170: Blake Altermatt (W/RRC) pinned Hanson, 2:17.

182: Nathan Mattison (W/RRC) maj. dec. Ramos, 9-0; Mattison is ranked No. 6 at 170 pounds in Class A.

195: Shane Irbeck (W/RRC) pinned Zierke, 3:02.

220: Johnson (BEA) pinned Mike Wersal, 1:29.

285: Cody Welch (W/RRC) pinned Granados, 1:00; Welch is ranked No. 2 at 195 pounds in Class A.